Organizations

Student Organizations

The African Music and Dance Ensemble is a recognized student organization (known as the Pitt African Drumming Club), in which members of various departments come together to share and celebrate the performing arts and cultures of Africa.

ASO is an African Students Organization based at the University of Pittsburgh's main campus. ASO is comprised of staff, faculty and students of various ethnic backgrounds. ASO is committed to creating and maintaining a cohesive African community in Pittsburgh and the surrounding regions as well as organize various forums to share information about, and develop an understanding of the economic, social and political development needs of Africa in particular.

Initiative for Sustainable African Development (ISAD)

When GSPIA announced support for new student groups, it was a golden opportunity for students to create unique social forums. For ISAD, the new student initiative fund would allow African students to institutionalize a passion for their homelands. ISAD was developed to explore alternative approaches to African development issues. It is one of the first student groups at GSPIA to focus exclusively on African topics.

The purpose of FORGE is to advocate for refugees and the poor. We have four objectives. FORGE educates the University of Pittsburgh community, the Pittsburgh community and the nation about the challenges facing these vulnerable populations. FORGE members advocate for solutions to refugee problems. FORGE provides opportunities for refugees to advocate for themselves by sharing refugee artwork and messages with our community. FORGE empowers both students and refugees as agents of social change.

Keep It Real’s mission is to provide quality, personal tutoring to support the educational development and cultural adjustment of refugee kids and their families in the Pittsburgh communities. KIR is a student-run volunteer organization at the University of Pittsburgh comprised of over 85 dedicated members, the vast majority of which are undergraduates at Pitt. Our tutors stretch across a range of majors and backgrounds, but we all share an enthusiasm that has earned us a reputation as one of the most motivated, involved, and fun-loving organizations on campus.

Some of their activities include:

After school tutoring at Arsenal M.S. twice a week, in coordination with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh.

Afterschool programming with MGR Foundation's Murals program at Arsenal M.S. once a week: cultivating cooperation, conflict resolution, and expression through art, music, drama, and movement.

PanAf GPSU’s mission is to serve all graduate and professional students at Pitt with research or cultural interests related to Black America, the African Continent, or the Caribbean/West Indies.

Being chartered at Pitt since 1993, PanAf GPSU orients its services and activities to bridge across all minority professional societies and cultural groups to strengthen connections with the 14 schools across the university and the diversity office initiatives. We continue to organize events and programs, which contribute to a community that celebrates Pan-African diversity and achievement at Pitt. Through our organizational relationships we have designed the Pan-African Network to preserve and protect a community of diversity for all.

Student Leaders in International Medicine (SLIM)

Our purpose is to foster interest in issues and professions within the realms of international medicine and global health. We hope to give students a route to further their interest and advance their education in such topics through networking and experiential learning. The ultimate goal of "Student Leaders in International Medicine" is to progress and amplify the development of health care professionals that are looking to spread their knowledge beyond the borders of the United States. Members of this organization interact as family, helping one another to achieve their own personal goals in global health.

The purpose of Swahili Student Association is to promote, conduct activites, and services that support East Africa and culture, particulary Swahili. The African Studies Program is proud to sponsor the Swahili Student Assocaiation in activities and teaching the Swahili language.